VENTURA COUNTY NEWS | Obituaries

* Alfred R. Turner; Grocery Union Founder

Alfred Russell Turner, a former assistant store manager, died Friday at a convalescent care facility in Ventura. He was 96.

He was born on June 18, 1904, in Ada County, Okla., and had been a Ventura County resident for the past 79 years after moving from Coalinga.

He held numerous grocery positions at Safeway, Food Fair and Ross Market. In 1972, he retired from Ross Market as an assistant store manager.

Turner was a member of the Democratic Party and a founding member of Southern California United Food and Commercial Workers Union in 1941. He is believed to have been the oldest dues-paying union member of the international union.

According to family members, Turner loved to read and was well versed on many subjects, including California history.

He is survived by nephews Charles Turner of Concord, Kenneth Turner of Richland, Wash., and Richard McCoy of Los Angeles; nieces Sandra Mueller of Spokane, Wash., and Delores Campbell of Los Angeles. He was preceded in death by Ruth, his wife of more than 60 years.

Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Charles Carroll Funeral Home in Ventura, which is handling the arrangements. The service is scheduled at 11 a.m. at the funeral home, with the Rev. John Cherrie officiating. Burial will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura.